C.J. Newcome Hotel Belle Vue at Bad Wildbad, Black Forest, Germany

Views on the Hampshire Surrey Border: C.J. Newcome 1870s

This watercolour forms part of a charming 19th-century collection of pictures by a C.J. Newcome, principally depicting views around Tongham, Seale, Aldershot, Crooksbury and Hale on the Hampshire / Surrey border. The identity of the artist is unconfirmed, but this was clearly someone who had access to substantial houses of the day (Aldershot Manor; Poyle Park Estate; Hale Park House; Bury Hill Estate; Hampton Lodge Estate; Duffield Hall, Derbyshire).

It is likely that C.J. Newcome was related to Captain George Newcome and family, who bought the 63-acre Manor House estate at Aldershot in 1846. George' wife Harriet was born at Allestree Hall, Derbyshire. His sisters married into the Mangles family, one living at Poyle House, Tongham. There is possibly also a connection with Exeter College, Oxford; and the artist sojourned at the Victorian spa resort of Bad Nauheim in Hesse, Germany.

Many of the watercolours are extensive views, which show the artist's talent for both capturing a sense of the whole and recording small detail, in foreground figures, flowers and tree branches—with the skilful addition of ink and white bodycolour.